Our standing for Black History Month UK is not just to tell Black, British stories, but to amplify Black, British voices, and ask them to tell their stories themselves.
Without further ado...
EPISODE 1: AMINATA KAMARA - presenter, podcaster, writer and mother.
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Take a listen to my short story on how I’ve navigated life growing up in Kent, as well as many words of encouragement on how we can take steps forward throughout the month of October and beyond.
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I will never forget that Saturday evening after my mum washed my hair. I was about 7 years old and I begged her to use the shampoo advertised on TV that promised to make your hair soft, sleek and luxuriously long. The model was white with straight blond hair, the complete opposite to me, but that didn’t matter – that shampoo was going to make my hair like hers!
Looking back it feels so silly to have believed that, but when that’s all you see on TV, in books, at school and in your local area, you don’t ever consider that you might actually be different: Black.
On that day I learnt a very pertinent lesson that left me wanting to burn my hair straight and scrub my skin till the blackness came off. It sounds sad, and at the time it was, but as the years went by it left me determined to find myself because the world I grew up in wasn’t going to do that for me.
I’m now a mother to a beautiful 4 year old daughter, and I’ve promised myself to surround her with all those images I lacked: images of black women who are strong, bold, black and proud. I’ve vowed to be her first example of what that woman looks like in practice; a combination of resilience, drive, compassion and vulnerability. I’ve vowed to be honest about my short comings, and not make her believe in an unattainable level of beauty, because perfection doesn’t exist only growth and daily progress.
So to every girl who once considered herself as not beautiful enough, not strong enough or not worthy to be in the room, you are, because you bring something so unique to a world that is desperately in need of you. Find the role models who emulate the woman you hope to be, but also do the work on yourself so you can love the woman you see in the minor.
Listen to Aminata's Full Story On SoundCloud Below...
Celebrate Black History Month with us right here at Gymshark Central.
FIND MORE:
5 resources that will help develop your understanding, by Maja's Education Project.
Anti-Racism and allyship: what it is and why it matters, with Official Millennial Black.
The information and facts within this article have been provided by the following contributor: Aminata Kamara @[aminataonline].
